DHAKA: Although the city dwellers are not interested about pre paid meter installation, authorities concerned and existing users said the system will help reduce the cost of gas consumption 40 to 50 percent.
Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited (TGTDCL) explained that people can use gas in pre-paid meters in moderate rate. So the money will also be saved. However, customers less interested in setting up pre-paid gas in the capital.
Besides, the report submitted by project officials echoed the same and stated that the customers have expressed their reluctance in using prepaid meter.
TITAS wants to set up two lakh pre-paid meters in the capital by December 2020. If the project is implemented, it will be possible to stop theft of 150 million cubic feet of gas per day in Dhaka as well as stop illegal connections of gas.
But customers in many areas are not interested in using gas by pre-paid meter recharge. Customers say, pre-paid meters recharge will result deduction of various charges from them. Customer is not benefited, reversely they face loss.
In order to prevent the loss of gas, Titas took the natural gas efficiency scheme (BD-P 78) at a cost of Tk 712 crore in January 2015 with a deadline for completion in 2018.
According to the Development Project Proposal (DPP), gas supply in Badda, Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, Bashundhara, Tejgaon Industrial areas, Dhaka Cantonment, Mirpur, Ajampur, Kafrul, Khilkhet, Uttarkhan, Dakshinkhan, Uttara 3rd phase, Purbachal and Jhilmil areas will be under prepaid meter.
Later, the revised development project proposal (RDPP) added to Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Rampura, Metropolitan, Banasree, Khilgaon, Magbazar, Malibag, Siddheshwari, Shantinagar, Iskaton, Kalabagan and Hatirpool areas.
Officials concerned of the project say, customers can use gas in prepaid meters at affordable rates than the manual method meter. After setting the prepaid meter, subscribers have to pay Tk 800 for using a double-burner. But, the cost will stand at Tk 350 to 400 after using the prepaid meter.
Basically, the waste of gas in pre-paid meter was saved from 45 to 50 percent. As a result, customer can save Tk 400 to Tk 450 per burner, they added.
Mirajul Islam, a resident of Mirpur area of the capital, about pre-paid meter said that many hidden charges were included in the pre-paid meter. Pre-paid meter user has to pay more than the postpaid user. As a result, customers are not interested in installing this meter. If it is confirmed that the charges will not be deducted then the customer may accept it.
Engineer Foyzar Rahman, Pre-paid meter installation project director of TITAS, told Banglanews that using pre-paid meter is beneficial for both the customer and the company. So it needs to be running.
BDST: 1740 HRS, JUNE 26, 2019
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